A tip off to a cop in Manipur, posted as an election observer, led to the busting of a drug racket trying to establish its roots in Oshiwara, an area with a significant showbiz population

A tip off to a cop in Manipur posted as an election observer led to the busting of a drug racket trying to establish its roots in the vicinity surrounded by the artists of Bollywood and TV soaps.

Following the seizure of 2,400 kilograms of Meow Meow drugs worth Rs. 48 lakhs, the anti-narcotics cell (ANC) sleuths have also learned that the racket had its connections in three states of country including Gujarat, Punjab and Mumbai.

"The tip off was received by the Deputy commissioner of police, Shivdeep Ladne who is currently posted as an election observer in Manipur. The information was received by credible sources after Friday’s major Meow Meow racket was busted in Delhi where over Rs 50 crore of drugs were seized and a former athlete was arrested," said an officer from the ANC.

The Ghatkopar unit of the Mumbai Crime Branch's ANC passed on the information by Lande that four men, all aged between 25-40 years, including a native of Punjab, a native of Baroda, Gujarat and two from Mumbai were in a swift Dzire car, with highly addictive Meow Meow drugs in huge quantity, and were to reach Oshiwara via Ghatkopar to deliver parts of consignment. The officials immediately swung into action and found that a car had halted near Ghatkopar bus depot and two people were present in the car, who were later joined in by two others.

The ANC laid a trap and intercepted the car on Friday evening. On conducting a search, the official found over a kg of drugs from the vehicle belonging to a resident of Yari Road and over a kg of drugs stashed on three other people. The ANC officials then arrested the four and also seized the car used in the transportation of the new party drug, the police said.

Among the arrested, one is a chemical and pharma agent in Baroda, one is a mobile phone dealer from Mumbai while another person is a air-conditioned dealer from Punjab.

"On their interrogation we found that the drugs were to be supplied to some dealer in a posh locality of Oshiwara. Our sources have told us that this dealer supplies drug to film and TV artists from the field of acting, fashion, make-up and modelling. We are further working on the information," the officer added.

The ANC, on Saturday evening, produced the four accused in court. They have been sent to police custody.

Senior police inspector, ANC, Santosh Bhalekar said, "All the four arrested has been booked under the NDPS act for possession. The total amount of seized material along with the car is over Rs 55 lakh rupees. We have got their police custody till February 23 and further investigations are being conducted.”